Free course · Architecture & Engineering
Free Architecture Course
Learn how buildings are designed: the design process, reading drawings, site and climate, space planning, building elements, accessibility, sustainability, codes and presentation.
8 lessons · 1 practical project · about 8 hours · free, no sign-up
Your progress
0 of 9 lessons and projects complete · saved on this device
About this course
This free course introduces how architects think and work. It's for anyone curious about architecture, preparing for study, or working in construction and wanting to understand design decisions.
You'll learn how projects move from brief to building, how to read architectural drawings, how to respond to site and climate, how to plan spaces, how buildings are put together, how to design for accessibility and sustainability, how codes and approvals work, and how to present a design. The final project designs a small backyard studio.
By the end you will be able to
- Describe the design process and project team
- Read plans, sections, elevations and site plans
- Respond to site and climate with passive design
- Plan spaces and circulation
- Understand structure, envelope and services
- Present a design clearly
Who it’s for
- • People considering studying architecture
- • Architecture and building design students
- • Builders, drafters and project managers
- • Homeowners planning a project
Course outline
Follow the order, or jump to what you need — nothing is locked. Each lesson has steps, an exercise, a checklist and a quiz.
Beginner Understanding architecture
Beginner overviewHow buildings are designed, how to read architectural drawings, and how to respond to site and climate.
- 1. How buildings are designedEvery building goes through the same broad stages, from understanding what the client needs to handing over the finished building. Learn the process and the people involved.14 min
- 2. Reading architectural drawingsArchitectural drawings are a set of related views of a building. Learn what each view shows, how to read scale and symbols, and how to picture the building in 3D from them.16 min
- 3. Site, orientation and climateGood buildings respond to their site and climate. Learn site analysis and the passive design principles that make buildings comfortable with less energy.18 min
Intermediate Designing buildings
Intermediate overviewSpace planning, building elements, and accessible and sustainable design.
- 1. Space planning and circulationSpace planning turns a list of rooms into a layout that works. Learn to size rooms from how they’re used, arrange them by relationships, and keep circulation efficient.18 min
- 2. Building elements: structure, envelope and servicesEvery building is structure, envelope and services. Understanding how they work — and fit together — lets you design things that can actually be built.20 min
- 3. Accessible and sustainable designBuildings should work for everyone and use resources wisely. Learn the principles of universal design and sustainable design that apply to every project.18 min
Advanced Approvals and presentation
Advanced overviewPlanning controls, building codes and approvals, and presenting designs.
- 1. Codes, planning and approvalsEvery building must satisfy planning rules and building codes. Learn how the two differ, how codes are structured, and how projects get approved.18 min
- 2. Presenting a designA good design poorly presented can be rejected. Learn to tell the design story with diagrams, drawings and images — for clients, reviews and your portfolio.16 min
Practical projects Practical project
Practical projects overviewDesign and present a small backyard studio.
Free KitWren tools for this course
- Area ConverterConvert square metres, square feet, acres, hectares and more.
- Length ConverterConvert between metres, centimetres, millimetres, kilometres, inches, feet, yards and miles.
- Renovation Cost CalculatorBuild a renovation budget from area, build rate, fixtures, fees and contingency.
- Paint CalculatorWork out how much paint you need for a room’s walls and ceiling, in litres or gallons.
- Flooring CalculatorCalculate how much flooring, timber, laminate or carpet to buy, including waste and boxes.
- Image CompressorCompress JPG, PNG and WebP images to make them much smaller — with a before/after preview and the size saved.
Related courses
- SketchUpModel buildings, interiors and objects quickly in SketchUp — from push/pull basics to clean, organised models, presentations and LayOut drawings.9 lessons · 1 projects · free
- RevitLearn to model, document and coordinate buildings in Revit — from BIM fundamentals and your first walls to families, schedules and full drawing sets.28 lessons · 4 projects · free
- Construction documentationLearn to produce drawing sets builders can price and build from: organisation, sheets, plans, sections, details, schedules, specifications, revisions and checking.8 lessons · 1 projects · free
- AutoCADLearn 2D drafting in AutoCAD from your first line to a complete, plotted set of drawings — step by step, with exercises and real projects.32 lessons · 5 projects · free
Architecture course: questions
Will this course make me an architect?
No. Becoming a registered architect requires accredited study and practical experience. This free course is an introduction that helps you understand architecture and prepare for further study or work alongside architects.
Do I need software?
No. Hand sketches are fine. To draw digitally, try the SketchUp, AutoCAD or Revit courses.
Does the course cover building codes for my country?
It explains how codes and approvals work in general. Specific requirements vary by country and region, so always check the codes and authorities that apply to your project.
Free, independent learning material written for KitWren. We never provide software downloads, licence keys or cracks — use the official sources.